More than 13,000 killed in road mishaps in Maharashtra in 2018

According to the Maharashtra highway police officers, who collect data on all road accidents and analyse them, human error emerged as the main cause behind majority of the mishaps.

More than 13,000 people were killed in 35,957 road accidents in 2018, up from the 12,511 deaths in 36,056 mishaps in 2017, according to the data from the Maharashtra highway traffic police.

In the past two months, the highway traffic police sent 8,106 proposals to the RTOs across the state to cancel licences of errant motorists. (HT File)

According to the Maharashtra highway police officers, who collect data on all road accidents and analyse them, human error —such as drink driving, lane-cutting, speaking over the phone while driving, etc — emerged as the main cause behind majority of the mishaps. Officers said their main focus this year is to increase enforcement and crack down on over-speeding.

Vinay Kargaonkar, additional director general of highway traffic police said, “We will increase awareness as well as work on enforcement. We will send proposals to the regional transport offices (RTO) to cancel licences of errant motorists. Motorists need to be more careful of their own safety and that of others.”

In the past two months, the highway traffic police sent 8,106 proposals to the RTOs across the state to cancel licences of errant motorists.

Of this, 866 licences have been cancelled. They said they will try to get the rest of the licences cancelled to send a strong message to those who violate traffic norms.

Kargaonkar further said each police station across the state has formed a special team, which includes officials from the public works department (PWD) and the traffic police, to analyse each accident and find out its cause.

Their analysis also points to over-speeding, drink driving, lane-cutting and speaking on the phone while driving, as some of the offences for which the highway police will write to the RTOs to cancel motorists’ licences.

The highway police have also been granted ₹15.45 crore to purchase equipment for enforcement.

Vijay Patil, superintendent of highway traffic police, said, “We are going to purchase interceptor vehicles, speed guns and other equipment for enforcement to crack down on traffic violations.”

He also said they are working in coordination with the PWD and other concerned authorities to ensure all potholes, which is another reason for accidents, are filled as soon as possible.

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